The 4cm advantage of Whitlock's 'one to watch'

If Max Whitlock calls a team-mate "one to look retired for", it is astir apt worthy listening to him.

Britain's astir successful gymnast was talking astir 20-year-old Harry Hepworth, who is heading to nan European Championships this week successful basking form.

It is simply a acold outcry from nan 3 years he had arsenic a kid wherever he was incapable to do immoderate athletics because of a hep information that has near him pinch 1 limb shorter than nan other.

Hepworth has already beaten an Olympic champion this twelvemonth erstwhile he edged Artem Dolgopyat to return level golden astatine nan World Cup successful Cottbus, Germany, and claimed nan nationalist rings title to put himself successful nan framework for action for this summer's Paris Games.

Before that, he will pursuit European occurrence arsenic Great Britain recreation to Rimini, Italy, hoping for different successful continental championships aft topping nan badge array past year.

You tin watch immoderate of nan action connected nan BBC arsenic nan men compete from 24 to 28 April earlier nan women are successful action from 2 to 5 May.

Whitlock is not competing aft sustaining a insignificant sound to his wrist truthful BBC Sport speaks to immoderate of nan different gymnasts to support an oculus on.

When a section gymnastics coach came to his superior school, it changed Hepworth's life.

"He performed a backflip. All I wanted to do aft that was a backflip truthful I sewage myself signed up astatine Leeds Gymnastics Club and did a backflip and past kept going ever since," he said.

For 3 years earlier that, from nan property of five, he had been told not to do athletics because he had Perthes disease, which affects nan hep associated successful children.

His correct limb is 4cm shorter than his left, which he thinks has helped him pinch immoderate of his tumbling successful level routines.

"The coaches for illustration to opportunity it gives maine much torque disconnected nan level erstwhile I spell into twists because I mightiness beryllium leaning somewhat truthful I conjecture it's helped maine successful immoderate ways," he said.

"More unit tends to spell done 1 broadside and past it benignant of hurts my backmost sometimes but different than that I deliberation it it's been a spot of an advantage for me."

Hepworth upstaged his much knowledgeable team-mates astatine nan British championships past month, beating his idol Courtney Tulloch - nan 2022 world bronze medallist - to nan rings title.

He joins Tulloch, British all-around champion Joe Fraser, world vault champion Jake Jarman, James Hall and Luke Whitehouse astatine nan Europeans.

"You've sewage to beryllium a perfectionist and he's decidedly 1 of them," Whitlock said of Hepworth. "He's decidedly 1 for nan future, 1 who tin hopefully bring america a batch of [good] results."

When Alice Kinsella started curen for acne, she did not deliberation it mightiness time off her connected nan verge of quitting her sport.

The 23-year-old, who helped Great Britain to a astonishment women's squad bronze astatine nan Tokyo Olympics, said she went connected nan contraceptive pill to thief her tegument information but ended up processing worry and slump past year.

"I didn't want to do gym immoderate more. I was truthful adjacent to retiring," she said.

"I wouldn't deliberation that I'd beryllium present coming astir apt being nan champion I ever am. I consciousness successful a really, really bully place."

Kinsella had to retreat from past month's British championships pinch an wounded but has recovered and will activity to adhd to her 5 European medals.

Ondine Achampong, Kinsella's successor arsenic nationalist all-around champion, will lead nan British women's charge, pinch Becky Downie, Ruby Evans and Georgia Mae-Fenton besides connected nan squad arsenic they activity to take sides their European title.

Becky Downie, who was controversially not selected for nan Tokyo Games, says she had thought she would beryllium retired by now but a "belief heavy down" that she could execute an Olympic badge connected nan uneven bars has kept her successful nan sport.

A metallic badge connected nan servants of nan state astatine past year's European championships gave her other assurance and, pinch an moreover much difficult regular now, she is hopeful of yet much success.

Although, springiness her nan prime betwixt a gymnastics badge and her MBE, she would prime nan second each time.

She and her sister Ellie were fixed nan grant earlier this twelvemonth aft speaking publically astir maltreatment successful their athletics earlier a reappraisal that led to betterment successful gymnastics.

"To time off that benignant of bequest ... group hide astir nan medals but I'm hoping that successful five, 10, 20 years' time, we're going to look backmost astatine this clip and beryllium for illustration 'we really did, that we made a difference," she said. "We made an impact.'"

All times BST. Coverage tin beryllium taxable to precocious schedule changes, truthful specifications whitethorn disagree from this page.

Men's championships (24-28 April) - BBC Sport website and app

Friday, 26 April -17:00-19:30: servants of nan state finals

Saturday, 27 April -15:30-18:00: servants of nan state finals

Sunday, 28 April - 14:30-17:00: squad last

Women's championships (2-5 May) - BBC Sport website and app

Saturday, 4 May - 15:15-18:40: servants of nan state finals

Sunday, 5 May - 14:30-17:00: squad final